Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh – Wohlmuth

The Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh 2020 is a remarkable, dry white wine from the vineyard, or as the Austrians say, Ried (single vineyard), Edelschuh in Styria, Austria.

The Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh from the Wohlmuth winery is an opulent representative of its grape variety. On the palate, it displays a mature aroma of yellow tropical fruits, gooseberry, nuances of cassis, a hint of blossom honey, and grapefruit zest. A wine with a medium body, subtle extract sweetness, and a finely structured acidity arc. And the distinctive slate spice always resonates, a wonderfully cool minerality, finesse, and precision. The Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh is a wine with a unique, unmistakable character; it is immensely dense and fine-meshed, elegant and mineral, and possesses great tension and excellent length. Here, the ingenious interplay of grape variety, soil, location, and winemaker's craft, which has a 200-year-old tradition at Wohlmuth, is displayed in its full glory. With a little air in a large glass, the Sauvignon Blanc opens up more and more and reveals its great aging potential.

Sauvignon Blanc – from the Edelschuh vineyard

The Sauvignon Blanc vines grow on extremely steep vineyard slopes, planted on slate soils. Under the influence of the Illyrian climate, which brings warm winds from the Mediterranean and cool winds from the northern Alps to Kitzeck in Southern Styria, and with much manual labor on the steep slopes, which requires an admirable connection to the homeland, white wines with an unmistakable, complex fruit expression are produced.

The Edelschuh vineyard, or "Ried", is one of the best sites in Southern Styria; as early as 1322, this noble site was known as such. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 460-530m above sea level and is extremely steep with a 73-90% gradient. The soils consist of Paleozoic, red and blue-black, quartzite-rich slate. The vines are between 30-50 years old. From this warm location, wines with a very delicate acid structure and high extract density are produced. The historic site is so steep that it can only be cultivated by hand, sometimes only with the help of a cable winch. At the upper edge of the barren Edelschuh Ried, which is completely south-facing, there is a visible slate wall. With the 2018 vintage, this special site, which yields complex wines of pronounced minerality and elegance, was classified as the first STK (Styrian Classic).

The grapes for this Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh are harvested very late through selective hand-picking. A short maceration period and a very slow and gentle pressing, as well as spontaneous fermentation in 500l used wooden barrels, preserve fragrance and fruit. Subsequent aging on fine lees for more than 12 months ensures a full mouthfeel and a delicate creaminess.

a single vineyard wine and its values

• Origin Wine from Austria
• Growing region Southern Styria
• Single vineyard Ried Edelschuh
• Grape variety Sauvignon Blanc
• vegan
• sustainably certified
• 13.0 % vol. Alcohol
• 6.9 g/l Acidity
• 1.1 g/l Residual sugar